Miguel Angel Jimenez yawns while he discusses the line with his caddy Clifford Botha during the second round at the 143rd Open Championship at The Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Steven Flynn USA TODAY Sports

Tiger Woods of the U.S. watches after chipping onto the first green during the second round of the British Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, northern England July 18, 2014. REUTERS/Toby Melville (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT GOLF) ORG XMIT: LON777 TOBY MELVILLE REUTERS

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Phil Mickelson urges his ball on after putting on the 6th green during the second day of the British Open Golf championship at the Royal Liverpool golf club, Hoylake, England, Friday July 18, 2014.(Photo: Scott Heppell/AP)

HOYLAKE, England — Phil Mickelson broke par in a major for the first time since he won last year's British Open. It was just what he needed Friday at Royal Liverpool to make sure he kept playing in this one.

He missed a 4-foot birdie putt after one of his best shots of the day, and was so irritated by that it caused him to bogey the next hole. He lost his tee shot on the par-5 10th hole, had to play another tee shot but still made par by getting up-and-down from about 215 yards away with a 2-iron.

A 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole gave Mickelson a 2-under 70, bringing him back to par for the championship.

"Fortunately, I was able to fight hard and get it back on the back nine because I was 1-over par and then hit one out of bounds, essentially," Mickelson said. "So to get it back to even is good. And, hopefully, the weather is supposed to come in tomorrow. It will be tough for all of us."

Rory McIlroy proved more daunting than the weather. Mickelson finished his round and was only six shots behind. McIlroy pieced together another 66, and suddenly Lefty was 12 shots back.

Mickelson, who opened with a 74, appeared to be hitting his stride after a wild tee shot on No. 4 that flew over the gallery, so far right that it landed in grass that had been tamped down. He hit that to 4 inches for birdie, made eagle on the par-5 fifth hole and looked as if he would get under par when he hit a 5-iron on No. 7, the toughest at Hoylake, to 4 feet.

But he missed the birdie putt and walked quietly to the next tee, shaking his head. Mickelson usually puts blunders behind him quickly, but not this time. And it cost him. Playing aggressively to a pin tucked by a slope on the right side of the green, he went long and into the first cut. A flop shop wasn't hit hard enough and rolled back off the green. He had to make a 4-footer to escape with bogey.

"I wasn't patient," he said. "I tried to get that shot a little close. And what happened is I drew that 8-iron with the wind, and when it's going downwind, it just doesn't stop. I should have hit it 30 feet. I thought, 'I'm going to try to get one close.' Hit it over the green, hit a poor chip and made bogey."

Nothing saved his round quite like the 10th, however.

He never found his tee shot in the gorse and thick bushes and had to play his provisional, meaning he was playing his fourth shot from 215 yards away. He drilled a 2-iron onto the green and holed the short par putt.

Mickelson made it sound routine: "Lost ball, played the provisional in the fairway, hit a 2-iron to 6 feet and made it for par."

Lefty didn't drop a shot the rest of the way and closed with a birdie.

He has said he has been close at various times this year, though his last victory was at Muirfield.

Mickelson said he made a few adjustments on the back nine, such as extending his swing more toward the target, though his putting has been inconsistent.

"I'm striking it so good," Mickelson said. "And if I putt the way I putted the last nine holes for the weekend, I'm going to have a good chance."

That's more than he can say for the two major champions in his pairing.

Two-time Open champion Ernie Els never recovered from that triple bogey on the opening hole that led to a 79. He shot 73 and missed the cut at 8-over 152. Masters champion Bubba Watson bogeyed the last hole for a 72. He was at 4-over 148 and had to wait to see if that would be enough for the weekend.

Profile: Phil Mickelson

Feb. 1, 2014 - Phil Mickelson tosses autographed footballs into the crowd at the 16th hole during the third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at the TPC Scottsdale. Cheryl Evans/azcentral sports

Phil Mickelson watches his birdie putt roll towards the hole on the ninth green during first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Mickelson's would-be birdie for a round of 59, lipped-out. Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports

Phil Mickelson watches his birdie putt lip out on the ninth green during the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Mickelson's birdie putt was for a round of 59. Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports

Phil Mickelson reacts after his birdie putt circled the hole then came out on the ninth green during the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports

Phil Mickelson reacts after his birdie putt circled the hole then came out on the ninth green during the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports

June 15, 2012 - Tiger Woods (left) acknowledges the crowd after making a putt as Phil Mickelson (right) walks to his ball on the 10th hole during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Feb. 4 - Fans watching Phil Mickelson at the 16th hole were a part of a record crowd of 173, 210 at TPC Scottsdale for the third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Cheryl Evans/The Arizona Republic

Phil Mickelson plays his tee shot on the 15th hole during the final round of the 109th U.S. Open on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on Monday, June 22, 2009. Mickelson would finish second for the fifth time in his career. Andrew Redington/Getty Images

May 12, 2009: Phil Mickelson and his wife, Amy, watch Game 5 of a second-round NBA playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets in Los Angeles. Mickelson suspended his PGA Tour schedule indefinitely on May 20, 2009 because Amy Mickelson was diagnosed with breast cancer. The Associated Press

Sept. 19, 2008: Phil Mickelson lies in front of his wife, Amy, and USA teammate Anthony Kim during the Ryder Cup in Louisville, Ky. Amy Mickelson was diagnosed with breast cancer and the three-time major champion said May 20, 2009, that he will suspend his PGA Tour schedule indefinitely. AP photo/Rob Carr

Phil Mickelson blasts from a bunker on the 10th hole during round three of the World Golf Championships-CA Championship on March 14, 2009 at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami. Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Phil Mickelson hoists the trophy after winning his first World Golf Championships event, the CA Championship on March 15, 2009 at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Doral in Florida. Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Tiger Woods and his caddie Steve Williams look on as Phil Mickelson takes a drop on the 17th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines on Thursday, June 12, 2008, in San Diego. Woods won the event in a playoff over Rocco Mediate. AP Photo/Denis Poroy

John and Sandy Sierra, owners of Grayhawk Awards and Memorabilia, unpack some of the signed photos for their new location, including this one is of Phil Mickelson, in September 2006. Suzanne Starr/The Arizona Republic

Phil Mickelson holds the trophy after winning the 2005 FBR Open at the TPC Scottsdale. Mickelson fired a 5-under-par 66 during his final round, his second victory in the event. Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic

Phil Mickelson gives former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Mark Grace hug on the tee box on Jan. 21, 2002, during the Skins Game at the Phoenix Open at the TPC Scottsdale. Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic